City of surprises ; A wintry trip to Budapest reveals a city preparing to celebrate Hungary's most famous son says Sam Smith

The Hungarian kitchen is famous. "We have only good food,"boasted my taxi driver as we drove into Budapest.

Alas, eagerly-anticipated plans to corroborate his boast overlunch were thwarted by a delayed flight.

An empty stomach coupled with a drive through bleak suburbsharking back to a communist era best forgotten, meant firstimpressions of Hungary's capital were far from positive.

But enter into the city and you begin to recognise the wealth ofcultural history and elegance that Budapest possesses.

The city is divided into two: Buda on the western side of theriver Danube and Pest to the east with each side offering acontrasting experience. Something of a social rivalry exists betweenthe two districts and locals will often attest to being from Buda orPest, as opposed to Budapest itself.

Yet both sides of the city, indeed the whole country and theinternational community, will unite this year to celebrate thebicentenary of the birth of Hungary's most famous son. No, notFerenc Puskas, one of the greatest footballers of all time, butrenowned classical composer, pianist and teacher Franz Liszt.

Born on October 22, 1811, Liszt's legacy is ubiquitous throughoutBudapest where he established a musical academy in 1875.

Liszt once remarked: "It is my lodestar that one day Hungary willbe able to point to me with pride."

This pride will be on display for all to enjoy as the citycelebrates Liszt Year with a series of concerts from renownedmusicians such as Gergely Boganyi, scholarly conferences andexhibitions to pay tribute to Liszt's musical genius.

The year-long celebrations will culminate with World Liszt Day onOctober 22, when his grand oratorio, Christus, will be performed invenues across the globe.

But there is no better city in which to celebrate his enduringlegacy than in Budapest itself.

Upon arrival in the city, your eye is immediately drawn to BudaCastle and the grand palace dominating the skyline.

Buda Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encompasses an entiredistrict boasting historical monuments, vibrant cafes andrestaurants, archaic cobbled streets and spectacular views of theDanube and Pest. The Funicular Railway offers salvation to those notwishing to undertake the steep climb.

Music festival With the city gearing up for a festival of musicthis year, a trip to the Hungarian State Opera House in Pest, eitherfor a tour or a show, must be high up on the agenda.

If golden interiors, silk-covered walls and marbled staircasesare not your cup of tea, then Budapest offers two superb modernalternatives in the shape of the Palace of Arts and the NationalTheatre, with the former featuring heavily in the Liszt year.

When it snows in England, the country grinds to a halt and peopleconfine themselves to indoor warmth. In Budapest, people go tooutdoor thermal baths.

Szechenyi Bath and Spa on the Pest side was the city's first.Famous for its medicinal water and its architecture, it offers thewinter visitor the surreal experience of outdoor bathing in arcticconditions.

It is also located close to other sites of interest such as theCity Park, Heroes' Square and the Museum of Fine Arts.

As my taxi driver rightly informed me, Hungary only has goodfood. The city offers an array of restaurants serving up traditionaland nouvelle cuisine. But for the best in traditional fare, a tripto the Great Market Hall in Pest is a must.

The largest of the five major market halls built in 1897, it isthe perfect place to indulge in some Hungarian cuisine and to browseendless stalls of rural art.

Nightfall in the Hungarian capital brings with it more delights.Beyond the trendy bars and clubs, Budapest has some hidden gems inthe form of "ruined-pubs", whereby buildings on the verge ofcollapse are salvaged and transformed into bars offering a vividdrinking experience.

Szimpla Kert in Pest is one such example. Here graffiti on wallsprovides colourful artistry while unchecked wildlife spirals upwardsagainst a backdrop of ambient lighting and smoky haze.

Although inconspicuous from the street, there are a number ofsuch venues in Pest.

Like the city in which they dwell, they are well worth exploring.

Factfile For more information on the Liszt Year which begins onJanuary 22, visit www.liszt-2011.hu The Liszt Year will runalongside the three thousand festivals held in Hungary each year,the most notable of which is the Budapest Spring Festival beginningin March and comprising about 200 events. For more information onfestivals in Budapest visit www.festivalcity.hu Malev HungarianAirlines operates flights to Budapest from London Gatwick. Forflight information visit www.malev.com